Hex Lord Jaruz
Guru'kan the Wise "Wha' coul' be done? 'Dey left on 'dey own acco'd, I o' any o' de' otha' Zandalari already be foreseein' 'da potential problem's arisin' from their hasty decisions. I care little fa' the ones 'dat left, only 'da ones I be seein' unda' my guidance." - Witch Doctor Guru'kan on the departure of many trolls to the mainlands. The Witch Doctor Truly simply living to be considered an Elder among your people is an achievement within it's own right, but to some that would simply sit upon their old age and wait for death to come strike them down with it's final blow, an old troll would have other-wise. Within the ancient troll city of Zuldazar lived an old, benign troll Witch Doctor whom had practiced his art since he was hardly of a juvenile age. Some addressed him as Guru'kan, or simply 'Uncle' for his caring disposition to the students that had traveled to learn from him. Never a dull day bore down on Guru'kan or his students, whom had all grown to see the Witch Doctor as a sort of guardian to them, someone whom could aid them through spiritual means. Most of his younger life is left to mystery; jokingly, most thought that the Loa themselves willed him in to existence to give others wisdom and a deep insight to his art. The Hexxer Guru'kan had always lived to feed the curious eyes and ears of young and upcoming spiritualists, but his age had become a hindrance to his work; soon dropping into a deep depression that lasted for several months. Growing sick and weak, his mind was twisted, genuinely believing that without him, his students and any of the other young trolls that traveled to Zuldazar to find him and learn under him, would be lost. Through sheer force of will, Guru'kan rose every day at the crack of dawn to travel to Mount Moyambo, traveling for miles on end alone in the deep and bitter snow; winds that would slice deep into your bones and render the weak frozen constantly attempted to force his retreat, but to no avail. Atop the mountains peak, surrounded by the altars of several loas, he pleaded with them for an answer, for a solution to his dilemma. "Grea' Zanza, hea' ma' praya' and take ma' offerin's, fo' I 'ave one simple request. Show me 'da way 'ta abolish 'da t'ings 'dat plague me, and I will foreva' be indebted ta' you." What followed was silence, the loas, atleast on Guru'kan's mind, seemed to have abandoned him. Followed these events, Guru'kan began delving into ancient texts, concocting strange and exotic elixers and potions in order to remedy his body, all of them failed. He was certain this was to be, that for some cruel fate he was deemed to die of old age, even though he had sensed that his destiny was to live. He had stumbled upon an art that was noted as forbidden inside of the city of Zuldazar, an ancient art of enthralling the spirits through physical or mental displays of finesse and manipulation; following his new found studies, darkness presided over the old troll. The Schism Upon his return to Zuldazar, Guru'kan's body had been mangled and drained of energy, but he continued to hold lessons, but to only the ones that have been under him for several years, leaders and powerful spiritualists he once deemed them, loyal and always within reach. Through manipulation and shows of assurance, Guru'kan began teaching several of his prized students the dark arts, deep below in the catacombs of the Trollish city. Success does not come instantaneously, and Guru'kan with a swift flick of his wrist would silence any of the students wishing to leave his presence; the spirits that surrounded the catacombs arising from their peaceful rest in the after-life, drawn forth to serve as weapons and tools to himself and the students that remained. And within several months, the chosen ones were selected, Guru'kan would cease to exist, only a husk of himself would continue onward. Jaruz Another year had passed, and with it Guru'kan's life. Many of his former students mourned for his death, wishing his spirit a well earned after-life for his great deeds to the young trolls of Zandalar; unbeknownst of his acts culminating to his death. Within that year, more students had been converted under the new leaders of Guru'kan's teachings, and were ready to complete his charge. Several weeks of travel brought the band of trolls to the peak of mount Moyambo, the body of a assassinated priest in tow behind them. The Trolls had set down the body of the priest upon one of the altars Guru'kan had once come to, seeking eternal life, and he would have it. With the body in place, the group of trolls begun the ritual that Guru'kan had showed them, summoning forth the spirits from within the mountains many empty halls with a show of spiritual charms and dances before ensnaring them with incantations; the last step, one of the chosen students tore a small black vial from a bone necklace wrapped around his neck and threw it upon the body, the shattering of the vial was followed by the semblance of a whirlpool, the spirits that were ensnared were forced into the body of the priest and in a few moments the only thing that could be heard was the sound of snow falling upon the ground. "Guru'kan no longa', I am sometin' mo' 'den 'dat... Jaruz... 'da spirits very wa'den..." - Hex Master Jaruz The Jaru'atal The stones were set in place; Jaruz had been reborn and his enclave had grown exponentially; although his following had grown far too big to be confined in the catacombs and abandoned ziggurats of Zandalar. No, instead they would take to the waves, sailing to the Southern jungle regions of the mainlands, blending in with the bloodthirsty Gurubashi trolls. Jaruz's followers had been bestowed the title of Jaru'atal; forever loyal to their mentor, and would continue to learn from him, but also to fall upon a blade should he command so. In order to keep the younger students or new ones in his order, he appointed the three key veterans whom had been the first to welcome the dark arts openly. -Rok'jin, A fierce Zandalari warrior and spiritualist whom had personally assassinated or slain the trolls that would be used to fuel the Jaru'atal's rituals. Empowered by the spirits that are bound to his mortal body via charms and idols strewn across his frame. -Kira'al, one of Guru'kan's first students, a young, impressionable troll girl whom had always wanted to aid her people by the uses of medicine and healing rituals; turned to raising the very dead from the earth by forcing enthralled spirits into their hollow bodies. -Varik, A key role in Jaruz's plan to assimilate with the Gurubashi, Varik was an excellent speaker and an equally impressive strategist, making sure the Jaru'atal's standing among the trees and fauna would not be threatened. The Jaru'atal were not largely populated, their numbers were estimated to be about seven dozen, with more curious Gurubashi joining at random intervals. Nonetheless they became a scourge to all non-troll-kind, and aided the Gurubashi in many forms whether it be through spiritual or physical requirement. The Sundering the few centuries following the sundering, the Gurubashi trolls were left with famine and terror, most simply attempting to rebuild and re-establish their position as a power on the now new continent formed from the separation of the mainland Azeroth, what followed would forever shake the Gurubashi empire's foundation. Hakkar the Soulflayer Soon after the sundering, some of the Gurubashi priests were pleading with the gods to send them aid, and one such god answered their calls, but at a great cost; Hakkar the Soulflayer had descended upon the crippled empire, promising great power to those who appeased him. What followed were victories, consistently fueled by Hakkar's power, the Gurubashi trolls met large fonts of success in expanding their reach; at the cost of numerous sacrifices to Hakkar. The Zandalari, initially pleased to know their brethren were doing well for themselves after the sundering soon learned of the intent of the malevolent god, Hakkar was known as the Soulflayer, the loa of blood, and only seeked to return to the mortal world to rid the surface of any living being, including his loyal servants. The Zandalari quickly gathered up any able warriors and sailed to Gurubashi lands, bringing the dark news to the already unrest Gurubashi trolls, whom were under the ideals of Hakkar and his priests, the Hakkari. The Hakkari themselves began to question the satiability of Hakkar, and when they were given the task of finding a way for him to enter the mortal world would immediately leave and join the side of the arrived Zandalari in an attempt to expel him from the empire. The Atal'ai, the extremist followers of Hakkar took up this task, bringing forth his Avatar inside the capital of the Gurubashi empire, Zul'gurub, only to be thwarted the contigent of allied trolls seeking to end this once and for all. The magics that would be unleashed devastated Zul'gurub, but the Zandalari and Gurubashi managed to expel Hakkar's avatar from the empire, ultimately saving it. The backlash of murdered Atal'ai and Hakkari were numerous, and even more were expelled from Zul'gurub and the surrounding established villages. The expelled had two choices, return to the arms of the Atal'ai or wonder the jungles alone. Fortunately, Jaruz, whom had ordered some of his followers to join the Hakkari not long after he was first heard from, saw this is an opportunity to gain powerful allies, and welcomed the exiled Atal'ai and Hakkari into their tribe. still in progress fondrloid ;)) Category:Troll Category:Back story Category:Zandalari